the mouse that roared
by IMjustROBIN
Summary: Simone is sick of being afraid! can the love of one wrestler help to twist Simone fate and turn her from a scardie cat into the mouse that roared? Jeff Hardy/ocean Matt Hardy/ocean undertaker gets a mention
1. Chapter 1

**Fair warning, I am aware that Jeff Hardy is no longer in the WWE. I know that he is married. This story is a work of fiction in my own fantasy world. It doesn't follow current kayfabs . It's just a story.**

Simone stood in the middle of the bustling room feeling like a fish out of water. She wasn't sure how she let herself get talked into attending this godawful party. One minute she had been resolute in her refusal and the next she was digging into the back of her closet for a dress.

She was too afraid to take a step in any direction, if she moved someone might notice that she wasn't a statue. She was hardly brave enough to take a deep breath. When she got her hands on her no good brother she was going to kick his ass, and she wasn't pulling any punches!

"Hi there." Came a deep masculine voice. The beautiful man standing before her delivered a breathtaking smile. Simone turned to look behind her to see who he was speaking to. He laughed. "I'm talking to you, what's your name?"

Before Simone could open her mouth to answer a hand clamped down on her shoulder. "Her name is none of your business." Her snake of a brother growled.

The amazingly handsome man held up his hands in supplication. "Chill Emo dude, i know you're a heel on the show and we're supposed to keep up appearances but you can drop the act here. It's just us." Mr. Sexy in a three piece suit held out a tattooed hand to her brother. "I'm Jeff, Jeff Hardy."

"They call me Emo. " her brother shook the man's hand.

"Ok," Jeff obviously thought it strange that Emo refused to give his real name. "Are you and your girlfriend having a good time?"

"Sister!" Simone interrupted. Jeff just raised an eyebrow at her. "I'm his sister, Simone." She said in a calmer, normal tone. one side of his mouth curled up in an almost feral smirk.

"Are you now?" He held out one large strong hand. When Simone placed her much smaller one in his grasp her raised her hand to his mouth and kissed her knuckles. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance" he bowed over her hand and a lock of shockingly purple hair fell over his face.

Emo tightened his grip on her shoulder and pulled her out his new coworker's reach. "Come on Si, we're leaving." He gave Jeff a pointed glare before walking off, towing his sister behind him.

"What a weird guy." Jeff ' s brother Matt, commented as he watched the WWE ' S newest heel drag his sister away. "He goes by that stupid stage name all the time, did you catch that?" Jeff nodded. He didn't turn to address his brother until Emo and his stunning sister had completely disappeared from his view.

"He's awfully protective of his sister. Did you see him pull her away from me? He didn't even want her to tell me her name." He chuckled.

"You do have a history man. If I were him I wouldn't let you anywhere near my sister."

"Fuck off man, I'm clean now." Jeff growled. Was he forever doomed to be haunted by his past? "Can't a man make a mistake without it being thrown in his face for the rest of his life?" He demanded.

"One mistake? Yes. Years of drug abuse and whoring around? Nope." Matt was grinning from ear to ear. Jeff just flipped him off and stormed off to brood.


	2. Chapter 2

"Ouch! Geez Si, pull your punches!" Her brother instructed. They had driven home in relative quiet; he had hoped that she was going let the whole thing go. So much for that.

"No." She told him while delivering a spinning back kick that landed square in his chest and sent him stumbling back. "How dare you embarrass me like that?" She stood arms akimbo, waiting for his answer.

"What do you mean embarrass? I rescued you! Or did you forget that you are Fucking socially inept?" He moved back onto the mat and began circling her. "What do you think would have happened if I hadn't shown up?"

Simone threw a wild haymaker that missed. "I..."

"You would have stood there stammering, unable to get a word out and probably ended up running away crying." She threw another punch that he dodged.

"You didn't have to be rude. He was just being nice." She jumped when he attempted a leg sweep.

"Ha! Jeff Hardy is a playboy, philanthropist, a drug addict, and an all around dog. The man wouldn't know nice if you hit him in the head with it." He took another swing and connected with her shoulder, she winced. "Damn! Pay attention. "

Simone dropped her fists and stepped back. "It wasn't just the scene you caused with Jeff Hardy. You dragged me to that party and ditched me. I spent almost two hours pretending to be invisible and praying no one would notice me before any of that even happened. Why did you make me even go?"

Emo could hear tears building up in her trembling voice. He too dropped his fighting stance. "Si, I'm sorry. The short answer is because I'm a selfish ass. I've worked so hard to get us here. We're in the WW Fucking E! This is my dream come true and at that party I got blinded by the splendor of it all. I'm sorry baby girl." He was honestly contrite.

Simone felt like an idiot. Emo had been the one to raise her. He'd only been 18 when their parents died; leaving him to take care of his anxiety crippled little sister. She was only 5 years younger than him, but emotionally she was eons behind.

He'd supported them by earning fifty bucks a night in the amateur wrestling circuits, and working a full time job during the day. He had made her finish high school, and start college (that didn't last long).

For the past ten years her big brother had done everything in his power to take care of her, including teach her to wrestle. Now thanks to all his hard work he'd been picked up by the WWE and had even worked her into his character's storyline.

Tears slid down her cheeks. "Oh Emo," She crooned using the stupid gimmick name he'd come up with. "I'm so sorry. You deserve to be happy and have fun. I'm sorry that I'm in your way all the time and you have to swoop in and rescue me every five minutes. "

He rushed forward and pulled his baby sister into his arms. "Don't be sorry! I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you. You're my inspiration little one. We did this together, we got this far!" He leaned back to look into her eyes. We're going to keep going. Soon enough we'll be on top." Emo took a step back and reached to cradle her face in his big hands. "One day the world will look at you and they will see what I see."

"A spoiled brat?" She asked with a sniffle.

"That too." He gave her a crooked grin. "I see a strong, smart, beautiful young woman. Who kicks like a mule." He added, letting her go to rub at the center of his chest where she'd kicked him.

"Don't be such a baby." She giggled.

"I'm gonna show up for my first Monday night Raw with a bruise in the shape of your foot on my chest. No one will buy your act then."

"It's not an act Emo. When you're not with me I...I just..."

"I know baby, I know. "


	3. Chapter 3

"It's Monday night Raw and the sound of this sold out crowd is defining. " announcer Jim Ross said into his microphone.

"That's right Jim. Everyone here is waiting on the arrival of, and I quote here 'the next generation of darkness'" Jonathan Coachman added.

Just then the lights dimmed and a little girl's voice boomed over the speakers. "From shadows rise a dangerous beast, through the night he Flies to disturb the peace, hope and hate blend as one...a new generation of darkness has come!"

It was the same promo that had been playing as a teaser for the past few weeks. Only this time it was real. With the smoke machine on full blast Emo strode onto the entrance ramp.

He was all decked out in black skinny jeans and a long sleeved black shirt. His dark bangs hung in his face, half concealing the black makeup that ringed his eyes.

"Who the heck is that?" Jim demanded.

"I don't know King, but it looks like we're about to find out!" The coach answered.

Emo picked up a mic and launched into his diatribe. He'd been practicing for days, trying to give the lines just the right amount of dramatic flare without going over the top. Simone had laughed... a lot.

As he rambled on about the Gothic undertaker being an old man's devil Simone slowly made her way onto the platform. She had squeezed herself in to a sweet, black lace, babydoll dress. And was teetering on some impossibly high heels. Her dark curls hung down her back, tied with a little red ribbon. In her arms she clutch a deformed teddy bear with one eye hanging off its face and it's mouth sewn shut.

"Who do you suppose the girl is?" Jonathan asked.

"She sure is a pretty little thing." Jim said, a touch of awe in his voice.

Emo held out his hand and Simone walked to his side. "Step down Taker. This," he said gesturing to himself and his sister. "Is what darkness really looks like." With that he dropped the mic and led his sister back stage.

"I'm so freaked out, can't hardly breath." She gasped.

"You're not the only one. My hands are shaking!" He told her lifting one to show it trembling.

"Hey guys," They turned together to see the Hardy brothers approaching them. "You two did a great job." Jeff told them.

Simone took a step towards the approaching men and away from her brother. He did not like that. "Thanks. " He almost growled through a false smile. He reached out to pull his sister back to him; she pulled away.

"Thank you." Her smile was genuine. When Matt held out a hand and introduced himself she accepted it his grip almost completely concealed her hand.

"How's it going? I'm Matt, Jeff's big brother. I'm the smart brother." He told her with a wink.

Simone looked over her shoulder at her brother before she replied. "I'm Simone, this is my brother Billy...I mean Emo. " The frown on Emo ' s face told her he wasn't happy with her slip up.

"That's an interesting bear you have there." Matt nodded to the stuffed animal she was clutching in a death grip.

"Oh," She blushed. "It's just a prop" She felt Emo ' s hand on her shoulder and sighed in defeat.

"We have to be going now gentlemen. I have a match to prepare for." Simone allowed herself to be pull away from the handsome brothers. At least Emo hadn't been as rude this time, and she'd been able to speak a few words without wanting to run for the hills. Things were looking up.


	4. Chapter 4

"We're back on Monday night Raw, and it's a doozy. Up next we have a match between a new comer who calls himself Emo and he has challenged, of all people, the Undertaker. " Jim Ross announced.

"I for one can't wait to see this guy in action. He talks a big game, let's see what he can do." Coach added as Emo ' s music began to play.

Emo was so ready for this. After years of being a nobody he was finally getting some recognition. Sure, for now he was a jobber, but he'd show the fans what he could do and they would cheer him to the top.

He waited in gorilla position until just the right point in his music. People screamed and cheered for Emo. He smiled because he knew his ring name and persona we're perfect. Geared towards a new demographic that wrestling hadn't considered reaching out to, the Emos.

After only a few heartbeats Simone appeared behind him. He knew she was there, could feel her anxiety and fear like a living monster reaching out to him and choking the life from his enthusiasm. She hated this, couldn't stand the limelight. But he needed her by his side as much as she needed to be there.

"I'm curious Jim, about the young lady who seems to follow this Emo guy around." Coach commented.

"I agree. I've been told by some of the guys that word in the locker room is she's his sister...and she doesn't speak."

"Did I hear you right Jim, she doesn't speak?"

"That's what they are saying. She is like a porcelain doll, beautiful, silent, and fragile." Emo and Simone made it to the ring. He held down the bottom rope so she could climb in behind him. Once they reached center ring the arena went pitch black and a familiar bell rang out.

The dead man appeared at the top of the ramp, he strode purposely toward his waiting opponent. Emo leaned down and whispered to his sister, pointing to the ring side. She didn't make a sound, just waited for him to hold down the ropes and stepped down.

"It seems like little sister is kind of like a good luck charm for Emo, he's going to keep her here ring side." Jim Ross observed.

Jonathan stood up and waved to Simone. "Come over here honey, it's dangerous for you to be standing so close to the action." He called to her. She acknowledged his offer with a sweet shy smile and shook her head.

There was no way she was going to go make a fool of herself by sitting at the announcers table and not be able to say a word. She climbed up onto the side of the ring and held onto the ropes.

She watched as the undertaker and her brother grappled in the middle of the ring. "Duck my clothesline but not me kick" She heard Taker instruct her brother. Emo gave a barely perceivable nod before Taker grabbed him by the arms and whipped him toward the ropes.

Simone watched as her brother seemed to hurdle towards her in what felt like slow motion. As his big body slammed into the ropes and rebounded back towards Undertaker. The Ropes reverberated so strongly she couldn't hold on. She fell to the hard floor below.

"I don't believe it Coach! Emo just knocked his own sister to the floor." Jim said in awe.

"He doesn't seem aware that it's happened, he's too intent on beating the undertaker."

"She doesn't seem to know what's happened either Coach, the poor girl is just sitting there."

"You're right." Jonathan Coachman was no longer paying attention to what was going on in the ring. He was too interested in the girl still sitting on the floor. "I hope she's not injured. Wait a minute, look at this, someone is running down to the ring."

"It's Jeff Hardy! What's he doing out here?" Jim demanded.

Before Simone could gather her wits and climb to her feet he was there. Jeff squatted down beside her, putting his hands on her shoulders to stop her from getting up.

"No, don't move." He told her gently. "Are you hurt? Is anything broken?" She shook her head. "ok, I'm gonna help you up, take it easy." With his hands under her arms he pulled her to her feet and wrapped an arm around her. "You sure you're ok?"

The crowd, which Simone had almost forgotten about, made an amazing amount of noise when seemingly out of nowhere Emo appeared in front of them. Someone came forward and handed Emo a microphone. "Get your filthy hands off her!" He demanded reaching out towards his sister.

"She's hurt you ass." Jeff said into the mic he was handed. "If you had half a brain you never would have let her near the ring." Jeff held Simone closer. As much as she wanted to pull away and retreat to the safety of her brothers arms, she couldn't bring herself to pull away from Jeff 's embrace.

"Come here Simone." Emo demanded. She looked up at Jeff, hoping he would understand and not try and fight her brother. He gave her shoulders a squeeze before letting her go. She moved to her brother's side.

"You need to take better care of her," Jeff ordered. "Or someone else will." With that he dropped his mic and walked away.

**I hope you are enjoying my story. I know there are some mistakes, I will try to fix them when I find them. I am writing this on my cell phone on breaks at work.**


	5. Chapter 5

"Are you sure you're ok?" Emo demanded. He'd forced her to let the on hand medic look her over, and though they had found no injury he was still worried.

"I'm fine!" She declared trying to push him away. "I can't believe you!" She was shouting now.

"Well believe it, I want you to stay away from Jeff Hardy."

"It's not like I went looking for him, you knocked me down...remember? He came to help me, and you had to turn it into some big deal." She accused.

Emo gave her a lopsided grin. "You've got to admit, it made good TV."

"You're an ass." Simone stomped out of the dressing room and slamming the door behind her. She stomped down the hall, and walked right into a solid wall of mussel.

"Whoa," laughed a voice that was fast becoming familiar. She craned her neck to look up into the handsome face of Jeff Hardy. "How are you doing?" He asked. Simone took a deep breath, opened her mouth, and nothing came out. She just stood there, mouth agape.

"Simone?"

She felt like such an idiot. Incapable of speech she closed her mouth and nodded. How could she have been so stupid? Walking away from her brother in anger had left her alone without help. She gulped and took a step back.

"Hey," Jeff looked concerned. "What's up? Are you sure you're ok?"

"What's going on?" Matt asked as he came up behind his brother. "Hi! Simone, rite?" When she only nodded and took another step back the brothers looked at one another and frowned. Her retreat was stopped when she backed into another body.

"What's going on?" She spun around and came nose to chest with the Undertaker. "You're Emo's sister right? Are you ok? That was a nasty fall for someone so small." Simone's eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. She knew that the new rivalry between her brother and Taker was all scripted but the man was huge.

"Hey, are you alright?" Matt put a gentle hand on her shoulder. With a frighten squeak she jumped. Her brain stopped functioning. Her only instinct was to seek comfort in the familiar. She'd met Jeff several times now and he had always been nice. Without thinking she turned and took a few steps reaching out and grabbing on to him, burying her face in his shirt.

"Something is wrong," He told the other two men. "Someone go get Emo." They nodded and took off down the hall. "Easy now, you're ok, I've got you." He crooned wrapping his arms around her small body.

Jeff did know what to do. This girl was so small and vulnerable. Sure, he was a ladies' man, but he had avoided situations like this in the past. He steered clear of sweet innocent girls with fragile emotions. Jeff had always picked the tuff Sexy girls who were ok with one night stands.

He'd known the first time he saw her, standing alone at the party the other night, that she wasn't his type. She was an innocent, sweet, nice girl. The kind of girl that made a man's baser instincts kick in. She made a man think about things like love and marriage. He looked at her and wanted to be the one protecting her. He wanted to be the only man at whom she smiled.

Jeff shook his head. He couldn't think like that. He wasn't a forever kind of man, and Simone was definitely a forever kind of girl. She deserved the best a man had to offer; A good man who did good things. Not some former addict who had never been in a real relationship in his life. Deep down he knew he wasn't good enough for her... but that wouldn't stop him from wanting to be.

"Simone!" Emo called as he came running down the hall. "I thought I told you to keep you dirty hands off my sister!" He was red in the face and more upset than he'd ever been before.

"Chill bro." Jeff tried to let her go but Simone groaned and held tighter.

"Si?" Emo reached out and ran a hand down her back. "It's me, Billy. I'm here now, you can let go of Jeff." He cooed. She just shook her head, not ready to relinquish the sense of comfort and belonging she had found when Jeff Hardy had put his arms around her.

Simone knew she was crazy. Just a few hours ago she has stood in front of an arena full of strangers and millions of people watched on TV, her brother hadn't been holding her damn hand then and she'd been fine. Yet she couldn't manage a normal conversation with the completely nice guys without freak out.

She wished she could be alone, that she had the guts to just let Jeff go and walk away from the whole disastrous scene. She couldn't even unfurl her fist from his tee shirt. She felt the hot tears of shame slide down her cheeks, sniffle and wiped her face on Jeff ' s chest.

He jostled her a bit. "Did you just use me as a tissue?" He demanded in a playful tone. She just shook her head.

"What's going on here?" Stephanie McMahon demanded as she came out of her office. Jeff looked to Emo. The last thing he wanted to do was upset Simone more, he didn't know what to say.

"Nothing." Emo told her. He looked at Jeff meaningfully. "We're fine."

"Ok." Steff said, clearly not believing them. Emo had told them that his sister didn't speak often to people she didn't know, and to her understanding Simone did not know Jeff Hardy. Yet she was standing in the hallway holding onto him for dear life and crying. "Was she hurt during her fall?"

"No, the medic checked her over. She's going to be fine." Emo gave her a look that begged her to let it go and walk away. Being a smart woman Steff took the hint.

"If you say so, have a good night guys, I hope you feel better Simone." She said before walking away.

Emo tried again to take his sister away from the big strong man she had latched on to. Simone was having none of it. "We need to get out of this hall." He told Jeff. In one move Jeff reached down and scooped Simone up into his arms. She adjusted, burying her face into the crook of his neck and warping her arms around his shoulders.

Emo led the way back to his dressing room where Jeff sat in arms round uncomfortable folding chair with the girl cradled on his lap. "You ready to talk to me yet?" He asked with a chuckle as he bounced her with his knees. She just shook her head and sniffled again.

"I think she has backed herself into a corner." Emo told him. He'd decided he owed the man some sort of explanation. "She has crippling social anxiety. It makes it hard for her to speak to anyone she doesn't know. She must have freaked out in the hall and you were the most familiar person there. Now that she has latched on to you I don't think she knows how to extricate herself from the situation without giving herself more anxiety."

Emo couldn't help but notice how gently Jeff was holding his sister. He rubbed her back in soothing circles and rocked her back and forth. "Do you have a sister Hardy?"

"Nope, I have one pain in the ass brother." He laughed. "I've know people with anxiety before, but it was nothing like this." He motioned towards Si with his chin.

"She is special." Emo sighed. Jeff didn't disagree.

"Are you ready to talk to me now?" Jeff asked the girl in his arms who had finally stopped weeping.

With one deep breath for courage Simone let go of the man whose arms had felt like heaven. She tried to push away and stand. She would have landed on her butt if he hadn't jumped to his feet and grabbed her arm to steady her. She wanted to die. She had completely embarrassed herself and her brother in front if several WWE superstars. She was weak and useless.

"I am so sorry." She finally gushed.

"Nothing to be so sorry for. We all have our problems." He assured her. "You feeling better now?"

"I feel is stupid." She mumbled.

Jeff chuckled. "Well I feel honored." She looked at him like he were the weird one. "You hardly speak a word to anyone who isn't your brother, yet this the third time you've spoken to me. Maybe next time we won't need Emo here."

Simone didn't know what to say. He was going to just ignore the whole falling to pieces thing? If she were a brave person she might have been tempted to kiss the man for his kindness. "Uh, yeah. Ok."

"Alright then," He beamed. "I guess I'll be talking to you later.


	6. Chapter 6

Simone lay awake in her tiny bunk on the bus she was sharing with her brother. She understood that most of the wrestlers didn't bother with buses, the rented cars and stayed in hotels, she'd been embarrassed when they had been the only ones to pull up to the arena in a bus. Now she had so much more to be embarrassed about.

She was absolutely mortified by everything that had happened. If this were a few years ago she would have been tempted to cut...again. There had been a time when she'd spent more time with a razor in her hand than without. Her brother said that the long thin scars that ran the lengths of her arms and crisscrossed her thighs were badges of courage. Proof that she had been through hell and lived to tell the tale.

Well there were some times when she wished she wasn't so strong. Living through several suicide attempts meant she had to admit that she hadn't really wanted to die. Well if there were ever a time she wished she were dead, it was now. How was she going to face anyone in the WWE ever again?

With her brother she was herself. She was a normal person. She could have normal conversations and real arguments. Why couldn't she do that with a anyone else? She had promised Jeff Hardy that she would try to speak to him again; she wanted to be an able to talk to him. What she really longed for was to be wrapped up safe in his arms for the rest of her life.

Where had that thought come from? Sure he was big, and strong. He was so handsome he took her breath away. He'd been nothing but kind to her, and those heavily muscled arms had felt wonderful wrapped around her. Oh God, she had a crush!

The realization was not unwelcome. She had begun to think there was something wrong with her. She knew that other girls chased after handsome men and longed to touch and be touched by them. She had never experienced that before. Jeff Hardy made her feel like a woman. She suddenly wanted him to see her as beautiful and desirable.

Well that settled it. She decided then and there, in the relive darkness of her traveling home, that she was going to stop being weak. She was going to be a strong independent woman who didn't need her big brother to speak for her...easier said than done.

Jeff looked over at his brother. The faint green glow of the dashboard light illuminated his face on at strange eerie way. They were following behind a ridiculously large bus that was driving at 60 in the passing lane. "Whose hunk of junk is that?" He demanded.

Matt's pearly white teeth shone green reenactment when he grinned. "That would be you new girlfriend and her brother." He answered.

"Simone?" Jeff didn't sound angry at his brother's teasing. Instead he stared at the bus ahead with a strange look on his face. Like he was trying to develop x-ray vision so he could see the girl inside.

"Seriously?" Matt laughed.

"What?"

"That girl is damaged goods bro. She freaked the Fuck out today. I thought the whole 'she doesn't talk' thing was kayfab but... now I'm pretty sure it's for real."

"She has anxiety. Lots of people get uncomfortable in crowds." Jeff was still staring at the bus ahead.

"Crowds? There were three of us! She walked out into that area with no problems but three friendly guys say hi and she wigs out?" Matt scoffed. "Do yourself a favor and forget her. That girl is bonkers! Way more trouble than a piece of tail is worth."

"Don't talk about her that way." Jeff barked.

"Dude... you got it bad."

Jeff settled back into his seat and proceeded to ignore his brother. He watched Emo's bus rattle down the highway, no longer annoyed by its slow pace. Of course Emo would have instructed his driver not to speed, not with his sister on board.

The girl had fit perfectly into his embrace. When he'd lifted her into his arms she had trusted him impeccably, knowing instinctively that he we never drop her. She weighed almost nothing, he'd never carried a girl aground before; it was a lot easier that lifting and throwing grown men.

Jeff didn't want to examine too closely his inexplicable desire not to just see her again but to have her back in his arms.


	7. Chapter 7

"it's Friday night Smackdown, were here in New York City ready to witness some extreme wrestling." Jim Ross had to shout over the noise of the once again sold out crowd.

"Did you say extreme?" Jonathan Coachman asked.

"That's right Coach, extreme. Monday night on Raw we witnessed the debut of Emo, a very strange young man and his disturbed, silent sister." A flash back clip rolled of Emo and Simone walking down the ramp. The it cut to Simone getting knocked off the ring and Jeff Hardy running to her rescue. "tonight on Smackdow Jeff Hardy had issued a challenge to this Emo guy, for the rights to be the sister's new protector, of all things."

"Can you believe it?" coach demanded. "I never would have pegged Jeff Hardy as the knight in shining armor type but in an interview earlier today he laid down some pretty serious charges."

A clip began to play of Jeff standing in front of a camera while the interviewer held a microphone. "Earlier this week you rushed out to the aid of the new wrestler, Emo's, sister. And he didn't look to happy about it."

"The man is a fool to put her in such a dangerous situation. She is too small and weak to be standing ring side. She could have been seriously injured in that fall." Jeff told the woman. "Someone needs to be looking out for her best interest, and obviously he's not."

"from what you're saying I'd think that you know the girl personally, but I've been told by Emo himself that the girl doesn't even speak, so how could that be?" the blond tipped her head to the side, looking ditsy and cute at the same time.

"You don't have to use words to communicate." Jeff told her. "any fool can tell that she is fragile; If Emo isn't going to take care of her than I damn well will." He said walking off screen.

"There you have it." The girl said into the camera. "Jeff Hardy is a man with a cuse who can communicate to women with out words." She gave a suggestive wink.

"God damn it!" Emo yelled throwing the remote at the TV. He and Simone hadn't even left their trailer yet. "I told Stephaney I didn't want to run with this storyline." She grabbed fists full of his hair and tugged.

"You're going to make yourself bald." Si told him, gently moving his hands. "what else was she supposed to do? You, Jeff, and I made a mess on Monday when we broke kayfab on live TV. So she had to work your little tiff into the story line." Simone understood it, even if she didn't like it.

"But I'm still a jobber, which means I have to lose." Simone didn't look to upset by that. "that means Jeff fucking Hardy is going to win and you're going to have to go with the story line and let him protect you." He moved away from his sister and began pacing the floor.

"Don't worry so much about me." She smiled. Simone had spent the entire night laying awake thinking about this mess after Stephaney McMahon had told them about the new story line. She knew what she had to do, even if it wasn't what she was supposed to do.


	8. Chapter 8

"We are back here on Friday night Smackdown, and it has been a heck of a night." John Coachman announced.

"You ain't seen nothing yet Coach. Up next is the fight we've been waiting for. New comer, the Emo, is going up against Jeff Hardy over the right to protect Emo's little sister."

"We can finally put a name to the face. The sister, Jim, is simply called Sigh." Coach informed his co announcer. And thus Si was officially introduced to the WWE universe.

The lights dimmed and Emo's music started. "Here they come!" Jim shouted as Emo and Simone made their way to the ring. Simone didn't climb into the ring this time; she just stood beside the stairs and waited. Only seconds later Jeff's pounding theme sounded. He did his little crazy dance and stopped to shake a few hands on his way down.

He stopped at the bottom of the steps and gave Simone a devastating smile. The shy grin that she bestowed on him stopped him cold. He held out his hand for hers and she accepted. He bowed over their joined hands, his hair falling over his face and hiding from view the kiss he planted on her knuckles.

"Well that says a lot right there."

"What do you mean JR?" Coach demanded.

"Did you see the smile she gave him?"

"Yeah, so?"

"That right there tells me that she isn't adverse to the idea of his being her protector. This is going to be interesting." JR sounded excited as the bell rang and the two men in the ring started fighting.

Simone wasn't stupid enough to climb up onto the ring. Clutching the stupid prop bare she slowly made her way over to the announcer table. "Can you believe this? She's coming over here! Hey hunny, here take a seat." Jonathan Coachman told her standing up from his own seat to let her sit. Simone gave him a grateful smile as she took her seat.

"How are you doing?" Jim asked, only to feel like an idiot because instead of an answer she simply nodded. "Ok then, let's watch these two men fight over you." The two men were well matched. Like Jeff, Emo was an experienced high flyer. He wasn't afraid to climb to the top ropes, or do some flips. The crowd was going wild for the two men. Simone on the other hand cringed every time either man took a hit.

Simone knew how to fight; Emo had trained her in wrestling and MMA. And she wasn't too bad if she said so herself. She knew how to take a fall and do all of the same flips and tricks that her brother and Jeff were doing. She also knew that no matter how careful you were, that stuff hurt.

The match was winding down as Jeff pounded Emo into submission. Simone jumped up from her seat and dashed towards the ring. "Where is she going JR?" Coach demanded as he reclaimed his seat.

"I don't know coach but she doesn't look happy." The men watched Simone climb into the ring just ad Jeff was pinning her brother. Jeff looked up, stunned. Simone grabbed a fistful of his long hair and pulled him off her brother.

"What the hell?" He fumed. The bell rang but no one was paying attention to the reff who tried to declare Jeff winner by disqualification.

"What the fuck Si?" Emo demanded, grabbing her by the arms and pulling her away from Jeff.

"Get your hands off her!" Jeff moved between the siblings. "I won!" He charged towards Emo with the intention of fighting for real. He was taken off guard when he was grabbed from behind and given a neck breaker that slammed him to the matt.

Emo grabbed the microphone that the referee was holding. "HA!" he crowed, standing over the stunned Jeff beside his sister. "you just got your ass laid out by a girl!" ignoring her brother Simone reached her hand down to help Jeff to his feet. He swatted her hand away and stood on his own.

Grabbing the mic from Emo and glared at them. Her huffed for a moment, not sure what to say, and then he spoke. "Whatever. I'm out!"

**I have a lot of this story already written, but I haven't gotten much of a response. Im not sure if I should even bother finishing it. **


	9. Chapter 9

**I want to thank my reviewers, as long as I know someone is enjoying reading it than its worth writing. I hope you like where I'm going with this story! :-)**

"I can't believe I did that." Simone was curled into a fetal position rocking back and forth in the dressing room.

"You can't believe it? I'm in shock!" Emo didn't know what do or say. Technically she didn't break kayfab, but her little episode also hadn't been scripted. Jeff Hardy had been pissed! There was a quick knock on the door before Stephaney McMahon and her husband came into the room. "Steff I can explain."

"Explain? Hell, that was wonderful!" keep this up and you'll be getting a big push." Steff was grinning from ear to ear. "And you," she turned to Simone. "You were amazing! That came out of left field. You totally blew me away."

"But Jeff…" Emo protested.

Stephaney waved him off. "oh he's got his panties in a bunch, but he'll get over it. I just came from talking to him. He agreed to let the story line play out."

"Under duress." Hunter mumbled. Simone let out a low mournful moan. Stephaney was happy, so she supposed that was good. She had hurt Jeff, a man who had been nothing but nice to her; and now he was unhappy with her. She felt like a complete and total bitch.

"We have a lot in store for you three," the smile on Steff's face had both brother and sister shaking in their boots. "See you Monday."

Jeff slammed his fist into the wall of lockers. He'd been played, and he was pissed. Here he was thinking she was some fragile little flower and the damn woman was a fem fatal. "calm down bro." Matt stood way back, keeping clear of his brother's path.

"She sure had me fooled." He growled.

"Hell," Matt chuckled. "She had the wool pulled over all our eyes. Damn those two are good." Matt was actually impressed. "They would make a hell of a mixed tag team. I mean she laid you out flat!" One look at his brother's irate face had Matt shutting his mouth pretty quick. "Sorry bro."

Jeff punched the lockers again. "Damn it!" His knuckles were swollen and bleeding. "To top this shit Sunday off with a cherry, Stephaney and Hunter fucking love them. I have to play along with this damn story line."

"What are you going to do?"

"Do I have a choice? I'm gonna dance to Stephaney's tune like the monkey I am." He sighed, grabbing his bag and heading out into the hall.

Simone paced back and forth outside the Hardy's dressing room. She'd been trying to gather the courage to knock on that big wooden door. It burst open and Jeff stomped out. "Oh!" Was all she could get out. He looked angry, really angry. "I… I'm….I…" she stumbled over her own tong.

"Come to add insult to injury?" She snapped her mouth shut. Thos pretty dark eyes grew wide and round.

Simone didn't know what to say. She'd hurt him? He was a professional wrestler for Christ sake! She could have taken that fall with minimal damage. Still she had taken him by surprise; it was possible that she had hurt either his neck or back. She shook her head, still unable to form words.

"Well?" He demanded; his voice hard and cold.

"I didn't mean it!" She shouted before jumping back. She looked just a shocked as he was that she had spoken. She quickly stepped closer. "Really, I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm so sorry." A tear escaped and rolled down her cheek.

"did your brother send you over here to get into my head?"

"what?"

"I've seen this act before sweetie. You're a good actress; the tears on demand are really a nice touch. " He stepped close and was towering over her and glaring down. "You can go back and tell your brother that he needs to keep his bitch on a tighter leash."

With that he spun around and strode away, leaving Simone standing in shocked silence.


	10. Chapter 10

Emo watched his sister over the next few days as she obsessively typed away at her computer. She didn't eat, didn't sleep, didn't bathe. By the third day he was getting worried. Simone out rite refused to take off her headphones and acknowledge him. He'd just about reach his wits end.

Simone looked up in surprise as her brother pulled the buds from her ears. "This wasn't my God damn fault!" he shouted.

"I know that." She said calmly. She looked up at him with calm patient eyes.

"What the hell Simone? You freak out and shut me out for three days and then you just sit there like nothing has happened." He paced in front of her in the tiny kitchens of their bus.

"Billy." Her voice was low and soothing. He stopped and looked at her. "I made my choice on my own. I'm sick and tired of being seen as fragile, or broken. I proved to the world that I am not weak. I might have made a big mistake, woke a sleeping beast, but I did it on my own." She smiled. "It's ok big brother. You can go live your life and stop worrying about me for a little while. Tomorrow is Monday, and we'll deal with it when it comes."

He just stood there, mouth agape. When had his little sister grown up and become a woman? She was suddenly making sense. She sounded like an adult. There was nothing for him to say, so Emo simply turned around and walked away.

Simone shook her head. She didn't want Emo to feel responsible for her any more. On top of other things Simone had spent a lot of time looking into self help for anxiety. She had also read every article and watched every video she could find on Jeff Hardy.

She understood a lot more about the man now. She knew all about his struggle with drugs and alcohol. How his house had burned to the ground, and he'd lost his dog. She saw him go from one company to another struggling to find his place. He was a talented wrestler and not to bad an actor. He was a man who not just deserved but needed good things to happen to him. He'd held out one large tattooed hand to her in friendship and she'd thrown it in his face.

Most of his videos were clips of his highflying antics in the ring: Him jumping from impossibly high places, or doing amazing flips from the top rope. It had taken quite a bit of digging to find promos whit him speaking. She realized that his voice was more of a tenor than the baritone that he'd used to growl at her brother. And he has a slight southern accent to his speech that was more endearing than she could have imagined.

Come Monday Jeff Hardy was going to see a new side to Simone Baker.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to Monday night RAW." Jim Ross said, grinning at his co anchor John Coachman. "Everyone is talking about Friday night Smackdown and the Emo kid."

"That's right JR, hashtag SiHardy was trending number one Friday night. I personally can't wait to see what these three do next."

"I don't know about you but I was knocked off my feet when that little girl put Jeff Hardy to his butt."

"His butt?" Coach mocked. But his laughter was cut short as the lights dimmed and Emo appeared at the top of the ramp with Si in tow. "This is it JR! Here they come." Emo didn't waste any time with silly dances or crazy showmanship. He just strode down the aisle and climbed into the ring, leaving Simone to trail behind.

"It seems…" he boomed trying to sound bad ass. "That you all have something to say about how I treat my sister." As he said that Simone struggled with the bottom rope and made it into the ring. Emo continued his practiced diatribe, babbling about his sister being none of anyone's business while Si stood center ring and looked out at the crowd struggling with her urge to turn tail and run. "Since I beat Jeff Hardy on Friday night…'

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Triple H shouted as he appeared at the top of the ramp with Jeff Hardy at his side. "You did what Friday night?" He continued on before Emo could answer. "You lost by disqualification when that crazy little girl gave your opponent a neck breaker."

Si cringed and hid behind her brother's back, this wasn't entirely an act. She knew what was coming and also knew that not many people were happy about it. "That means," Triple H shouted over the crowd's booing. "That according to the terms of the match you have lost your rights as her protector."

"What?" Emo demanded, pretending that he hadn't been expecting this.

"That means that for the foreseeable future Jeff Hardy has exclusive rights to your sister. Si, you belong to Jeff. "

Jeff Hardy strode down to the ring. He sat on the roped holding them apart. "Let's go sweet heart." He said not unkindly, into a mic. He waved toward the back room.

Emo held her back when she would have obeyed. "What are you going to do to her?"

"You heard Triple H, I am her protector. So I'm going to protect her. Now let her go." Si put a gentile hand over her brother's and gave him a reassuring smile. He let her go but glared at Jeff as Si left the ring.

"This isn't over Hardy!" Emo screamed, forgetting about his Mic as Jeff placed a hand in the small of Si's back and led her away.


	11. Chapter 11

Stephaney and Hunter were waiting back stage. "That was fantastic! This story is really taking off." Jeff just nodded. He still had his arm around Simone's waist, keeping her close to his side. "I want you two to be seen traveling together. Jeff take her with you everywhere, from house shows to the grocery store; be aggressively protective. If you think you can handle it you could even stay in the same hotel room."

Stephaney was rubbing her hands together and grinning like the cat that got the cream. "She's used to traveling in a cushy bus with her brother," Jeff told them. "I don't go for that kind of shit. She's not going to like riding in a car with me and Matt."

"Oh pish-posh." Stephaney waved away his not so subtle dig. "I'm sure she can handle it for a few days, can't you Si?" Jeff felt Si's little hand creep up and grab onto the back of his shirt. She managed to nod at their boss.

"You might want to ditch Matt, have HIM ride with Emo. It's not going to look very romantic with your brother along as a third wheel." Hunter commented.

"Romantic?!" Jeff roared. Beside him Si jumped and stiffened.

"What the hell is this shit?" One of the other wrestlers demanded. Si didn't know who he was but he didn't look happy. Even though they all kept their distance she could feel their bodies pressing in on her. "Why the hell do these ass holes get a free running storyline while the rest of us are still stuck with this scripted shit?" The big man demanded.

Jeff felt her little fist clench tighter in his shirt. When the big man holding the sheep mask bellowed in outrage at Steff's response and gestured wildly in their direction she let out a frightened squeak, turned, and buried her face in his chest.

"Watch what you're doing ass hole." Jeff shouted, pulling her close and wrapping his arms around her. He wasn't as sure as he had been before that her anxiety was an act. She was clinging to him as if her life depended on him. When Stephaney saw it she smiled.

"Aren't they Fucking perfect?" She gushed.

Jeff bent his head down over Si's letting his long hair conceal their faces. "You ok?" He whispered close to her ear. He didn't miss the shiver that ran down her spine when his breath fanned over her face. She didn't look up, just nodded into his chest. He looked back up, frowning at his bosses, two people he'd known for years. "Have you told the Emo dude about any of this? He isn't going to like it." He said to Hunter while Stephaney dealt with a growing crowd of irate wrestlers.

"If he knows what's good for his career he'll go along with it." The king of kings told them matter of factly. Jeff thought it was a good thing Si had buried her face in his shirt like a little ostrich, because the crowd around them kept growing and if she really was freaking out she might end up having a fit soon.

He bent down and scooped her into his arms. "Hold on." He told her as he walked away from the group of angry men. He knew when she looked behind him, she suddenly gasped and stuck her face into the crook of his neck. He chuckled.

"The answer is no! He'll no!" Emo bellowed. If he'd been angry to see Simone once again in Jeff 's arms when they'd come through the door of his dressing room he was fuming now.

"I'm sure I don't like this as much as you." Jeff told him deadpan. He still had Simone in his arms, thought she was struggling to get down. "But I give a Damn about my career and I need this push. So if I have to pretend to give a shit about your demented little sister than I will.

Simone made a squealing sound before turning her head and biting Jeff on the tender flesh that connected his neck and shoulder. "Ouch! Shit, you little she devil!" He shouted and dropped her to her feet.

Emo watched his as Jeff finally put Simone down. It didn't escape his notice that even though Si had used her signature move (getting bit there hurt like hell) Jeff had still put her on her feet and not simply dropped her on her ass as he would have done. Si planted her hands on her hips and turned to Jeff to glare up at him.

"Don't look at me like that. I can't believe you fucking bit me!" He growled, hand over his stinging neck. Without any warning Si struck out with a leg sweep that knocked Jeff Hardy on his pompous ass. "FUCK!" He roared.

Ignoring him Simone went over to her brother. "Are you ok?" He asked running his hands over her.

"No she's not ok! She's fucking insane!" Jeff groaned from the floor. Neither one looked at him.

"I'm fine. Really." She pushed his hands away.

"I'm gonna go talk to Stephanie and hunter, there has to be another way."

Si shook her head. In a whisper she told him, "This is what they want. It's okay Billy, Jeff is really not that bad a guy."

"Ha!" His bark of laughter startled her and Jeff who had just climbed to his feet. "You hear that Hardy?"

"Enlighten me."

"She says you're really not a bad guy." Jeff just shrugged. "And here I thought you'd done your research. What with all the youtube videos of him you were watching...I thought you understood what kind of an ass he really is."

Jeff didn't have a response to that. He had been a mess back in the day. He was a little shocked to hear that she had even bothered to Google him. Si looked over her shoulder at the man who had rescued her twice now and she had beaten him up in return. "Stop it." She told her brother. "You don't know him. Who are you to be his judge? You've made your mistakes too Billy." She put emphasis on his real name.

"He doesn't need you to defend him."

"Well he's not going to defend himself!" She was shouting now. "He's not that kind of man." How the hell did she know that? "He doesn't know what a good guy he really is. Like you he only sees the faults in himself. He's been through hell and made it back and he doesn't need me and you making trouble for him. So I'm going to walk out that door with him and you are going to play along with this storyline for as long as Stephanie tells you to. "

She spun on her heel and walked away from her brother saying "let's go." Over her shoulder to Jeff who just stood there slack jawed and watched her leave.

"She...you..." He stuttered to the equally stunned Emo. "Wow." He finally got out. Emo just nodded.


	12. Chapter 12

Jeff 's car was a nice, comfortable, black sedan. The silence between them, however, was awkward. Si wasn't sure she'd be able to do more than stutter at him anyway. She'd used up a good portion of her courage yelling at her brother in front of him. But she had to try.

"I...it's...you have a nice car." She managed in almost a whisper.

"It's a rental." Was all he said.

"Oh." She sighed and sat back in her seat to watch the traffic.

"Are you hungry?" He asked. She just shrugged. "I don't usually stop for food with Matt. We drive right through and eat when we get to the hotel." She shrugged again.

Jeff switched on the radio and tuned it to a local rock station. If she didn't want to talk than they'd travel in silence. He told himself that if she got hungry or had to use the bathroom she'd either tell him or suffer in silence.

A few hours later he felt like a total ass. Si had been sitting beside him without a single complaint about anything. Even Matt bitched about his driving or him hogging the radio sometimes. He glanced over to see that she had fallen asleep. Her head had fallen forward and the wind from the windows he'd rolled down whipped her hair around her head.

Well that couldn't be comfortable. They still had about an hour and a half to go, and even he was getting sick of sitting. "Hey," he reached over and gently shook her shoulder. She jumped and looked around for a moment before she remembered where she was and who she was with.

Simone opened her mouth, it took a few tries but she finally managed to speak. Jeff couldn't help but feel a little proud that she was having an easier time speaking to him. "Are we almost there?" Her voice, thick from sleep, was sexier than it should be.

He had to adjust the way he was sitting and clear his throat. "No, we're still a ways away. I was going to stop at the next McDonald's...if you're hungry."

"I could eat." She admitted and then shifted in her seat. If his past experiences with women taught him anything it was that girls had to pee a lot. He'd bet his new house that the poor girl needed a bathroom more than a hamburger.

"Wait here." He told her when he stopped the car. She gave him a funny look but stayed put. Jeff got out and walked around to her side of the car opening her door and holding out his hand. When she frowned up at him he smiled. "It's all part if the act sweetheart. Romance...remember?"

Simone accepted his hand and got out of the car. He weaved his fingers through her's as they made their way inside. "If McDonald's is your idea of romantic I feel bad for your real girlfriends. She whispered when he held the door open for her.

Jeff just smiled down at her. She might have been insulting him, but there had been no hesitation when she spoke. She was getting used to him. He'd wanted to stand outside the door while she visited the restroom. "You're crazy! No." She had flat out refused.

So he ordered for them instead. Only he realized that he had no idea what she wanted. She had been so set on getting him away from the bathroom that he didn't think food had crossed her mind. Most girls tried to get away with picking at a salad while he ate a whole meal. It's one of the reasons he avoided dating. Well he wasn't going to watch Simone starve herself. He ordered them each a double quarter pounder with bacon, large fries, and a chocolate shake.

The food was ready before Simone was done in the Bathroom. "You man!" John Cena called from a nearby booth as Jeff searched out a spot to sit.

"John man, I didn't know you were traveling this way. You doing a special appearance on Smackdown this week?" He approached his buddy to shoot the breeze.

"Nah, but my girl is so I figured I'd take a ride down there and give her a surprise. Speaking of girls... where is the one you ah, won?"

"Hiding from me in the bathroom." Jeff shrugged. He slid into the booth figuring that when Si was hungry enough she'd come find him.

She was a bloody coward! Simone berated herself. Hiding in a bathroom stall in a highway rest stop, oh yeah, real brave. She'd come in here intending to freshen up, brush her teeth, fix her makeup, and put her hair up since Jeff obviously liked to drive with the windows down. Mission accomplished now all she had to do was go back out there and face the man.

It wasn't as bad as she'd thought it would be, being alone with Jeff. He didn't push her for awkward conversation. He wasn't as bossy as her brother, and his taste in music wasn't half bad. She had managed to speak to him several times with minimal issue. "I can do this." She said to herself in the mirror. Head up, shoulders back, she exited the ladies restroom.

Jeff wasn't hard to find. With his distinctive hair and tattoos he'd stick out almost anywhere. She realized too late that he was sitting with someone; he spotted her before she could turn tail and run. "Come sit, Baby doll." He called with a smile on his face that said he knew just what she thought of him calling her pet names. "Your food is getting cold."

He was issuing a challenge and she knew it. The man knew damn well that she hated strangers, yet he wanted her to sit beside him (a virtual stranger himself) and have dinner with... her eyes nearly bugged out of her head. That was John Cena!

She decided then and there that Jeff Hardy was the devil incarnate. Of all the people in the world for him to sit with it had to be John Cena!

To be perfectly honest Simone had never really watched wrestling. She only paid attention to her brother and his fights. But John Cena was not just a wrestler, he was an actor, a (mediocre) rapper. and he also happened to be Emo's favorite wrestler.

Well she wasn't going to let a little thing like John Cena stop her from proving to herself and Jeff (mainly Jeff) that Simone Baker was no coward. She plastered a smile on her face and slid into the seat beside him. "John this is Si, Si this is John."

Cena gave her one of his patented panty dropping smiles and reached out for her hand. Jeff could have smacked the lecherous bastard. He had a girl so he could very well keep his hands off Simone. "Nice to meet you Si."

Under the table Simone reached out and grabbed Jeff's thigh, hard. With her other hand she shook John's. She didn't say 'nice to meet' or anything like that. Just smiled and nodded... it would have to be good enough. "She really doesn't talk does she?" John asked Jeff when Simone pulled her other hand back as soon as she could.

"She takes the kayfab thing real serious." The two men watched in amazement as the tiny woman shoved the larger burger into her mouth. It could have been because she was hungry, but Jeff suspected that she was using having a mouth full of food as a good excuse for not talking.

The men alternated between talking and marveling at the petite girl who was devouring her entire meal. So much for worrying she wouldn't eat. As Simone polished off her fries and moved on the shake Jeff laughed. "We better get back on the road if we want to reach the hotel any time before next year.

They slid out of the booth, Simone still suckling down her drink. "Never knew you to be in such a hurry Hardy." Cena winked.

"Well she turns into a pumpkin after midnight." He joked. Simone reached over and pinched his side. "Ouch! Don't let the cute innocent face fool you. This girl in vicious!" He told Cena before wrapping an arm around Si and pulling her towards the exit.

"It was nice meeting you!" John called out to Si as the couple left the restaurant.


	13. Chapter 13

Emo couldn't get comfortable. He'd been sitting on the tiny couch on the bus that he and his sister usually shared; watching Matt Hardy play an RPG on his computer. It was so strange to have the man sitting exactly where Si usually sat when she used her computer.

His cell buzzed and he looked down

**Stop being stupid and talk to him - Si**

He smiled. She knew him so well. Poor Si was probably suffering in silence the presence of that obnoxious Jeff Hardy, yet she took the time to text him.

**All good things to those who wait - Billy**

**God helps those who help themselves -Si**

He almost laughed out loud; she wasn't going to let it go, and she wasn't going to let him win.

**What would I talk to him about? - Billy**

**IDK. ..How about wrestling? Dork! No more texting me, hop to it hop along! - Si**

Emo shook his head. If only Jeff knew what he was in for. Lord forbid Simone ever get comfortable with the man; he'd resent the day he ever met that smart mouthed little brat.

"I wouldn't have pegged you for a WOW geek." He finally said, trying to sound playful. Matt looked up from his computer with a shy smile.

"I don't really get to play often, mainly because I'm too cheap to pay for WiFi. " He looked around the bus. "This is great. I'm going to suggest to Jeff that we get one when it's all over."

"It's good for privacy, and after a few weeks of not having to pay outrageous hotel fees it practically paid for itself." It wasn't as hard as he'd thought it'd be, making small talk with Matt.

"The privacy would be worth it to me. It's hard to be yourself with everyone watching you. Ya know?"

Emo sat up a little straighter. "It's didn't think it would be so hard, to be the way I am and be in the WWE."

"It's really hard to find someone who understands never mind someone who can commiserate." The two men held their breath and stared at one another for what seemed like forever. Without saying a word Matt stood up and walked over to the couch.

Emo started breathing hard as he scooted over to make room on sofa. Matt slowly sank down beside him, eyes locked on one another. "Matt, I..." He began but was cut off by Matt Hardy's soft lips on his. It was the best kiss of Billy Baker's life.

Simone slipped her phone back into her pocketbook. It was hard for Billy to be himself. she had known for years that he was gay before he finally came out of the closet to her after their parents death. She wondered if Jeff knew his brother was gay. She looked over at him, trying to be inconspicuous. He really was a handsome man.

His masculine features were made even more brutally attractive by the crook in his nose from it having been broken in the past. His ears, visible when he pulled that crazy colors hair back, had cute little points like a mischievous elf. His stubborn chin and jaw looked even better with the strange lined beard. Staring at him wasn't making her night any easier.

Jeff turned his head to see that Simone was watching him. "What?" She shook her head. "How's my driving?" She waggled a hand back and forth. "Is that so? Does your brother drive better than me?" The empathic shake of her head had him laughing.

Even silent she was funny. The blue lights on the dash of this car made her dark hair glow blue black. She did look like a little emo, her brother had chosen his ring name well. Together Si and Emo had and winning idea.

Jeff had reserved them a room in an actual hotel. He and Matt usually shared a room in some dumpy motel. To be honest even if Steff hadn't told him to make it look like A Romantic trip he would have brought Si to this hotel. she was used to being comfortable when traveling with her brother. He couldn't very well expect her to sleep on a lumpy mattress while some hooker did her business in the next room.

She followed close behind him when he checked them in. She couldn't help but notice the people noticing them on their way through the lobby. "Oh my god dad!" A little boy shouted. He started jumping up and down excitedly. "Look it's Jeff Hardy with that quiet girl" He pointed in their direction.

Jeff wasn't one to ignore a fan, no matter how small. He stopped and talked to the kid. "Hey little man." He smiled down at the excite child.

"You rock!" The kid told him and tugged on his father's arm. "Isn't he the best dad?"

"Mr. Hardy." The father said shaking Jeff 's hand. "You and your brother are real crowd pleasers in our house. Would you mind signing his hat?" The father pulled his son's hat from his head.

"Not at all man." Jeff produced a sharpie marker from his pocket.

"Do you really not talk?" The boy demanded of Si, who was standing off to the side. Jeff reached out and tucked her behind him. He felt her grab hold of his belt.

"Si really doesn't talk." He told the kid putting the signed hat back on his head.

"That's why you gotta take care of her huh? Will you sign my hat too?"

"I don't think..." Jeff started. But Simone reached around him for the hat. With a shrug he handed her the marker.

"Thanks!" The boy grinned ear to ear. "Dad take as picture of me with them on your phone so everyone will know that I really met em'." He demanded.

"I think we've taken up enough of their time." He told his son

"Don't be silly. There is always time to make a fan happy. Am I right Si?" This was Simone's first face to face encounter with a fan. But witnessing the kid's joy at just seeing Jeff, she could see what the men really put themselves through hell for. She smiled and nodded.

**I know that Matt Hardy is not gay, he is a married man. If her of Jeff Hardy ever read this story they'd probably kick my ass! I guess it's a good thing for me that they don't read fanfiction.**


	14. Chapter 14

Matt couldn't believe what was happening. He was kissing another man, and he liked it! He'd suspected for a few years that he might be gay, but he'd never acted on it. He had wanted to talk to someone about his strange attraction to other men. But that wasn't a conversation many of the manly mnn wrestlers would welcome.

He couldn't imagine how he would even start a conversation like that with someone like Undertaker. "So Taker, I have the strangest urge to kiss you whenever you walk into the room." Yeah! That would go over like a lead balloon.

But Emo's lips were soft and warm. Matt's hands had minds of their own. They moved up to take hold of Emo's soft hair. He tilted the other man's head and deepened the kiss. Emo groaned in what Matt hoped was approved.

Emo fisted his hands in The front of Matt's shirt to stop himself from running them up and down the other man's perfectly sculpted chest. Matt had recently brushed his teeth, he tasted hot and sweet and cool all at the same time.

"Oh God." Matt breathed as they pulled apart. Neither man mover for what seemed like forever before Emo took Matt by the hand and led him towards the area that posed as a bedroom.

"Emo..."

"Billy, call me Billy." He insisted as Matt pulled him back into his big strong arms for another soul searing kiss.

She was amazing! Jeff sat on the hotel bed while Simone took the first shower. She had him in awe. While she hadn't spoken to the guy or his kid, she also hadn't turned tail and run or latched on to him and cried.

She had been a little confused when the kid had asked for her autograph, but gave it anyway. He couldn't believe she'd stood by his side and posed for a picture. He hoped the picture made it onto the internet, take that Stephanie McMahon!

Jeff almost jumped out of his skin. When a beautiful voice began to sing in his hotel room shower. "Hands touch, eyes meet, sudden silence, sullen heat." He didn't recognize the song, but he didn't have to in order to enjoy her singing.

Jeff was laying back on the bed, eyes closed, and hands behind his head. His shirt had rode up showing part of his heavily muscled abdomen. Simone licked her lips, and curled her hands into fists. Just because she'd never been with a man before didn't mean she was immune to their charms.

"That much huh?" He asked, peeking up at her through one eye.

What?" She asked. Her eyes wide; not with fear, was it anticipation maybe?

"Oh come on, don't act like you don't want me. Not after I just caught you eye humping me." She took a step closer to the bed, planting her little fists on her hips.

"Excuse me?" She demanded.

Jeff jumped off the bed and was standing in front of her in the blink of an eye. "I'm not going to sugar coat things for you sweetheart. I'm a red blooded male. That means my body doesn't care if you really are crazy, or if you're just another woman playing mind games. I want you. "

Simone gasped in outrage and would have turned away had Jeff not grabbed her upper arms and hauled her against his solid chest.

"Now I think you want me to. Why else would you have agreed to this crazy scheme of Steff's? "

"I didn't think I had any choice in the matter." She grunted while trying to squirm free; Jeff was too strong. In her anger at being manhandled and her trepidation that Jeff could really read how much she wanted him Si forgot all about being anxious.

Jeff gave a harsh laugh. "There is always a choice. You could have told Steff no..." Si opened her mouth to protest. She couldn't speak in front of Stephaney without Emo there; he didn't give her the chance.

"Or you could have let your brother go talk to her about it. But you told him to leave it alone. I think you wanted to get me alone so you can have your wicked way with me."

"You're wrong!" She spat the words at him. Si was no longer fighting his hold on her. Knowing he would let her go when he wanted to and not a moment before.

"Prove it." Jeff demanded.

"How?" The word came out in a frustrated huff.

"Kiss me."

"What? No!" Simone was shocked. "How would that prove whether or not I want you?" She asked, her voice now a husky whisper. She licked her full bottom lip.

"Trust me baby doll," His own voice was a low growl. "A man can tell a lot from a woman's kiss." She was staring at his lips now.

Jeff bent his head down towards her's. He was careful to keep his movements slow deliberate; not wanting to scare her off. She had plenty of time to say no or turn her head, but she didn't.

Their lips met softly at first, just a brush of soft skin against skin. Jeff pressed a bit harder, letting her really feel him there. After a moment he snaked out his tongue, teasing the seam of her lips.

Simone had never done anything like that before. She'd seen movies and understood that people kissed with tongues, before that moment it had always seemed gross. Now though, the idea of having Jeff' tong in her mouth was making her hot.

She parted her lips, hoping he knew what she wanted because, as well as she'd been communicating with him, she could never tell him she wanted that.

Simone didn't have to worry Jeff read the subtle clues. He released her arms to cradle her head in his big hands. He buried his fingers in her soft as silk hair and tilted her head to deepen the kiss. Si jumped a little when his tongue slid along her's for the first time. It was a sensation she couldn't begin to describe. His kiss seared her skin and touched her soul.

Simone hadn't realized that she'd reached up and had tangled her own hands in his thick hair until he pulled back from their kiss and pressed his forehead to hers.

They were both breathing heavily. The smile on Jeff 's face was one of joy and excitement. His hands moved down, over her shoulders and back to rest on her pert little butt.

"Well?" She demanded, as if she'd asked a question that he'd failed to answer. He pulled back a bit and Cocked one eyebrow. "What does my kiss tell a man?"

"It tells ME, sweetheart, that you've never wanted a man before, but you want me... now."


	15. Chapter 15

Jeff lowered his head, moving in for another kiss, but she held him back by simply placing one of her slender hands on his broad chest. He looked at her in confusion. She hadn't refuted his claim of her wanting him, so why deny themselves what they both wanted?

"Well wanting something and letting yourself have it are two different things." She told him. She stepped out of the circle of his arms and he let her go.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

"I want chocolate and ice cream too, but if I had them I wouldn't fit into my clothes. " Jeff didn't always understand what women were saying, but he got that metaphor just fine. "Then we'll buy you a bigger size."

Simone shook her head. Yes, she wanted Jeff Hardy. She wanted him to be her first, her only. But she was building castles out of clouds. He hadn't said anything about a relationship; Jeff was only interested in sex.

"Fine." He threw his hands up and stepped away.

Simone could feel his frustration rolling off him. It didn't scare her, after that kiss she couldn't conjure up even a smidgen of fear for the man. She felt bad; Si didn't want to be a tease. This was just the way things had to be for now. Maybe, in the future, there could be more between them; when they knew each other better.

"Do you wanna watch TV or something?" She asked, still standing beside the bed.

"You do whatever you want." He told her walking towards the door. "I'm going to find a bar and a bitch." Simone watched in stunned silence as he disappeared.

"Billy, we can't do this." Matt panted. The two had been entwined on the bed for hours. The kisses were wonderful, the heavy petting felt like heaven. They had removed each other's shirts and the feel of their muscles rubbing together took them to another world. But Billy had just reached for Matt's belt buckle.

Matt wanted to suck Billy's full lower lip into his mouth when the other man began to pout. He looked so deliciously contrite when he pouted. "It's too soon." He told him, moving their joined hands back up to his chest.

Billy could understand where Matt was coming from. Neither of them had gone all the way with another man before. They couldn't rush things. If they wanted this to last then they had to take things slow.

"Does your sister know? That you're... you know." Matt toyed with the light smattering of hair on Billy's chest.

"Gay? Yeah, she knows. She knew before I even told her. She's intuitive like that. She says that being quiet has its advantages. People forget she's there and they tend to do or say things in front of her that they would never do otherwise." Matt could hear the love this man had for his sister in his voice. "Does Jeff know about you? "

"God no! He's a manly man, if I even hinted that I was attracted to guys he'd flip."

"Really? You guys seem so close."

"Oh, I love my brother and I know he loves me. I don't think he'd disown me or anything; but he sure as hell wouldn't share a hotel room with me anymore."

Matt dismissed it. He accepted Jeff for the hard head was. If Jeff wasn't so tuff he never would have survived all the hell he'd put himself through

"So, what does that mean for us?" Billy had a sinking suspicion that he already knew what Matt was going to say.

"We are two grown men, what we do behind closed doors is our business."

"Behind closed doors?" Billy parroted. "But what if I ask you to be my boyfriend?"

Matt was a little shocked. Boyfriend? How had they gotten this far in one night? Just a few hours ago they had been complete strangers and now he was contemplating becoming Billy.s boyfriend.

"I could see my way to agreeing to that." Matt told him hesitantly.

"But I can't tell anyone your my boyfriend?" Billy looked a little upset.

Matt's had and came up that cradle his BOYFRIEND'S face. It was going to take some time to get used to that. "You have to give me time. This is happening really fast. I'm ready to admit to you and myself that I like you a lot. But I'm not ready to tell the rest of the world yet. Ok?"

"As long as your mine, I think I can do anything." Billy said before pressing his lips back to Matt's.

Jeff felt like an ass. Something he noticed was happening a lot now that Simone was in his life. He'd been sitting at the bar drinking nothing but cranberry juice and flat out rejecting every woman who worked up the guts to talk to him. Up in his hotel room waited a perfectly wonderful girl who needed time, patience, and understanding. Instead he'd let his temper control him and given her a taste of his bad attitude.

"Hello handsome." A soft feminine voice purred in his ear. He felt hands reach under his arms and caress his pecks.

"Not interested." He said flatly, peeling her hand off him.

The blond bombshell moved to stand in front of him. She struck a provocative pose and gave him a flirtatious smile. In the old days he would have tossed this little beauty over his shoulder and taken advantage of what she was offering. He wasn't that man anymore. "Still not interested?" She purred.

"Yup." He said tossing back the rest of his drink and putting some cash down on the bar. When he started to walk away she chased after him.

"Hey!" Her voice was shrill and angry. "No one says no to me!" Jeff didn't respond. He had better things to do with his time than hang out in a bar with a bimbo..


	16. Chapter 16

Jeff heard her cry out her brother's name before he even made it halfway down the hall. Simone was screaming in terror! He flat out ran to their door. Picturing in his mind all the horrible things he'd heard of happening in hotels. He burst into the room and there she was lying in the middle of the big bed, tossing and turning. His heart rate slowed as he approached the bed. Her face was twisted in terror and she cried out again.

Somewhere in her subconscious Simone knew it was just a dream but they always felt real. To any normal person it wouldn't have been that bad of a dream. To Si it was a nightmare. She was standing in the middle of the wrestlers ring. A million fans watched from their seats ads she stuttered and stumbled over words trying to call out for her brother. But Billy was nowhere to be seen. Other wrestlers crowded in around her, laughing and pointing. She was in her underwear.

A voice rose over the noise, she couldn't see his face but she felt his strong arms wrapped around her. She could smell his cologne, and feel the heat radiating off his body. "You're ok Si," he told her. "I've got you, you're safe." Simone rolled over in her sleep. She rubbed her face against his chest and moaned.

"Jeff." The sound of his name in the soft sleepy voice had him reaching down to adjust the fit of his jeans. Simone relaxed into his embrace and began to lightly snore. He adjusted his position and sat quietly as the beautiful young woman quietly drooled on him.

It was strange, to spend the night with a woman in his arms. Not since high school had he actually stayed the entire night with a woman. He had intended to let her have the bed and sleep on the floor. but Having her in his arms felt right, and he rationalized that she might have another nightmare if he left her alone again.

She was hot, almost stiflingly so. Simone blinked her eyes and turned her head, only to find that her pillow was the chest of Jeff Hardy. His big arms held her to his side.

She wiggled a bit, trying to see if there was any way to get free without waking him. No such luck; he chuckled and pulled her closer. She almost growled in frustration. "Sheath your claws little cat." His voice rumbled through his chest under her ear. Simone gave a sigh of defeat and rested her head back on his chest...away from the drool spot that neither of them was going to mention. "Can ask you a question?"

"No." She hated waking up in the morning. It was disconcerting to have fallen asleep lying alone in a big cold bed, cursing him for being an ass; only to wake up in his arms.

"Do you take any medication for your anxiety?" Her head popped back up in surprise. That was a hell of a question to ask somebody! In all fairness, she supposed it was a good question, one a person should have asked before one climbed into bed with her.

She took a calming breath and prepared for the lecture that she knew was coming, everyone has an opinion about psychiatric drugs. "I used to; when I was young they tried putting me on everything from Zoloft to Thorazine. Some of them helped and little, some and lot, but they all had side effects that I couldn't live with."

"Like what?"

"Most anti anxiety drugs are designed to slow or inhibit brain function to stop my mind from racing in fear. But they also stop my normal brain function as well. They turned me into a dull zombie."

Jeff was quiet for a few minutes while he processed what she had said. "How did your brother feel about it, when you stopped taking your meds?"

"It was his idea. My parents kept me drugged up all the time, they had no choice. But after the accident...when I didn't cry at their funeral, Billy knew something was wrong. He says he doesn't like that emotionless, personality less robot version of me. He'd rather deal with my minor quirks and have me be me."

Jeff squeezed her a little tighter. "Good. And for the record, I like you the way you are too." Si didn't know what to say to that. After everything that had transpired the night before, she had no clue how to behave with this man.

One moment he was kissing her and saying he wanted her and the next he was off to "find a bitch". She didn't know if he'd been successful in his quest or not; she didn't want to think about Jeff 's big strong arms wrapped around another woman. But if used been out getting drunk and spending time with another woman, why and when did he return to their room. And just in time to rescue her from her dream. If he had spent any time doing anything with anyone else it couldn't have taken him long.

"Did you have fun...last night?" She toyed with his shirt, tracing the design and kept her head down.

"No." He covered her hand with his to stop her. "I didn't, I spent a few hours in the hotel bar drinking nothing but juice and beating myself up for being such a jerk to such a sweet girl." Her big brown eyes gazed up at him in surprise. "A girl who has kicked my sorry ass twice now, in might add; without an explanation."

"Jeff, I said I was sorry."

"I know you did... the first time." He frowned at her.

"It's just that Billy was so upset about the whole storyline. He doesn't like you or your brother and won't explain why. I thought that if I interrupted the match maybe Stephaney and Hunter would take the hint."

"Don't pretend like you don't understand why your brother wants to keep me as far away from you as possible."

"Ok, i admit...I googled you. I know all about your sordid past... but I see a big difference between the man I read about and the guy who tried to save me from my own brother."

"Fair enough, I've changed my wicked ways...mostly. How and out yesterday in the locker room? That leg sweep was uncalled for! "

Simone gave his chest a nip and smiled. "You deserved it!"

"I did not!" He said indignantly.

"You did too! You insulted me."

"When? How?" He sounded outraged that she would accuse him of such a thing.

"You called me demented." She actually sounded hurt. Jeff had to think back_. 'If I have to pretend to give a Damn about your demented little sister.'_

"Shit." He rubbed a hand over his face. "Baby doll I'm sorry. I was angry and I wasn't thinking. I didn't mean it; I was angry and spoke out of anger, but that's no excuse. I don't think you're demented... I think you're kind of perfect." He almost purred that last part.

Simone tilted her head up to look at him. His dark eyes were hot, molten even. Si moved up towards him, like his lips had their own gravitational pull. For a girl who just had her first kiss the night before she cough on quick.


	17. Chapter 17

Matt lay stretched out on the bed that took up 90 percent of RV's 'bedroom', and watched as Billy struggled into a pair of tight skinny jeans. "You have got the cutest butt in those pants." He said as his boyfriend bent over to get a shirt off the floor.

"Mine is the only butt in these pants." He winked. Are you in the house show tonight?" Billy asked, glancing over his shoulder.

"You know what I mean! And No, you?"

"Yeah." Billy crawled back up the bed. "Will you come cheer me on?"

"For you?" Matt kissed Billy's lips. "Always." He grinned.

"You are so wonderful."

Matt put his hand behind his head. "I know."

"And humble too." The two kissed again. "Ok, let's go."

The parking lot was already full of screw fans. Matt made his way over to the fence to sign autographs. Emo was almost floored washed girls screamed his name and waved papers towards him, begging him to sign them. He hadn't realized that he was famous enough for the fans to care about.

The superstars trickled in, most made their way over to the fans, there weren't many who turned their noses up at the people. Matt and Billy spent a decent amount of time out there trying to get to as many people as they could. They had just headed toward the building when Matt put his hand out to stop Billy. "Check it out," he nodded towards the black sedan that had just pulled up.

They stopped and watched as Jeff got out, walked around and opened the passenger door for Simone. He leaned down and whispered something in her ear. Whatever he'd said didn't make Si very happy. She frowned up at him and shook her head, making those dark curls bounce. Jeff was scowling; he pointed towards their prospective brothers and said something. Si just ignored whatever dictate Jeff had just layer down and headed towards the crowd of fans who were pressing up against the fence.

"Oh man, is he in for it." Billy laughed. When Matt Cocked a brow Billy elaborated.

"Once she gets over her fear Si becomes a little tyrant. It's Simone's way or the highway." Simone stopped short of the rambunctious crowd and waited; Jeff came up beside her and reached to take her hand. He said something to her again, this time she nodded, and they moved together to greet the fans.

"She just might be exactly what my stubborn brother needs."

Simone was fuming. Yes, Stephaney had told him to act over protective, but he didn't have to be a jerk about it. He had wanted her to go stand with Matt and Billy while he greeted the fans. She knew that he didn't want her to have a freak out or be afraid. Now he was going too far. "I'm not waiting in your dressing room while you go out there and wrestle."

Jeff was amused. He knew that being in the public eye scared her half to death, yet she would brave it all to be by his side. "You don't have to, you can just relax back here and when I get done I'll take you out to a nice restaurant." Si glared at him, Jeff laughed. "If looks could kill I'd be dead right now."

"I don't want you dead. I want you to stop being an ass." She pressed her body against his and gave him her best puppy dog face; with wide eyes and her lower lip protruding in an adorable pout. Jeff leaned down and gave her full lips a quick kiss.

"Nice try but no cigar." He almost burst out laughing at the mixed look of shock and anger on her pretty face. Emo did not say no to his sister often, so the spoiled little princess was not used to hearing that word. "I have orders from both Steff and your brother to keep you safe, and as you've seen for yourself, ringside is not safe. So if you'll be a good girl and wait for me back here I'll get you a nice surprise later."

Simone stepped away from him and crossed her arms over her chest. Jeff thought she might reconsider that pose if she knew how nicely it displayed her breasts; he decided not to tell her.

"You can keep your surprise; I'm not some misbehaving child to be placated with a toy." She growled as she scooped up the demented teddy bear that served double duty as a prop and her stress ball. "I'm a grown woman and I will do as I damn well please." She headed for the door.

Jeff beat her there, closing it before she could make it out into the hall. "You forget, little girl… I am Bigger, faster, and stronger than you." She narrowed her eyes at him. "I can make sure you stay back here where it is safe weather you want to or not."

Her eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't dare."

"Watch me." Before Si knew what was happening Jeff was out the door. She rushed forward and pulled with all her might, when the door didn't budge she let out a scream in a pitch that only dogs should have been able to hear. Out in the hall Jeff cringed. So much for getting into her pants tonight, he'd be lucky if she didn't make him sleep on the floor…or in the lobby.

**I want to thank you, everyone! I get excited when I check my stats and see how many of you are reading my story. I just want to add that I would love to hear from you, your comments mean a lot to me!**


	18. Chapter 18

Jeff didn't say anything as he led her from the building. He opened the car door for her in silence. He didn't ask her what kind of food she was in the mood for; he just chose a restaurant at random. He didn't have to tell her to wait for him to open her door, she just waited. He took her hand and led her inside.

Simone was starting to get confused. Wasn't she supposed to be the one giving him the silent treatment? He didn't even say anything to the waiter, simply nodded when the man asked if it would be just the two of them for dinner. She waited for him to ask her what she wanted when the man was away, he didn't.

The waiter came back and Jeff just ordered two for whatever he felt like eating. As if her opinion didn't even matter! He sipped his glass of red wine and smiled, the devious man. He knew exactly what he was doing; infuriating her. He knew she preferred white wine over red because he had asked her the night before, but he'd ordered the red anyway. He knew she'd rather have chicken than beef, but he'd just ordered them each a big steak.

Jeff could almost see the smoke pouring out of Si's ears. In for a penny, in for a pound. She was angry anyway; why not take the opportunity to show her that he could play her childish games just as well as she could. He had a brother; he remembered exactly how these little spats went. This might be the first time he had done anything like this with a woman, but there were first times for everything.

Si pointedly ignored her glass of wine and when the plate of food was placed in front of her she didn't so much as glance down at it. Jeff dug in with gusto. He had worked up a good appetite during both the house show and Simone's little game. The girl must have been starving but she flat out refused to eat.

She was good! She knew just what buttons to press. It was his job to make sure she was well taken care of, and if she didn't eat than she would quickly waste away to nothing. Her brother would flip his lid if he found out that Jeff had made her so angry that she refused to eat. But he wasn't her butt kisser of a brother. He knew all too well that this spoiled brat would eventually eat when she was hungry. He had her food boxed up; there was a microwave in their hotel room. Thought how she was going to cut the steak with a plastic fork and butter knife was beyond him.

She sat on the hotel bed, arms crossed, trying her damndest not to look despairingly at the mini fridge holding her dinner. She had thought that Jeff would follow his routine of being a total butthead and go off again to the hotel bar. Instead he had gone into the bathroom, brushed his teeth and put on a pair of lounge pants. He was sitting beside her, flipping through the TV channels, casual as could be.

Simone was afraid that if she didn't eat soon she was going to attack him, he hadn't like it the first time she'd bit him. As if on cue her stomach began to rumble. She was so hungry it hurt, but she had her pride. He had treated her like an inferior, he behaved as thought he could bend her to his will. She was not going to roll over and play dead like a dog!

Jeff got up from the bed and went to the mini fridge. Her heart raced. Was he going to relent? Would he insist that she eat? Nope! The incorrigible man simply pulled out a water bottle and snickers before lying down beside her again. She wanted to smother him with her pillow!

It took Jeff hours to fall asleep. Simone could hardly keep her eyes open by the time the infuriating man's eyes closed and his breathing evened out. She nearly pole-vaulted from the bed and raced to the fridge. Too afraid that the sound of the microwave would wake him she decided to just eat the food cold.

She was sitting on the floor with her back to the wall and her face nearly buried in the doggy bag when Jeff opened his eyes. She didn't even notice when he got out of the bed and walked over to her. She did notice when he reached sown and took the food container from her. She growled and tried to snatch it back. Jeff just walked over to the counter and pulled out the plate and silverware that he had gotten from the hotel staff when he had gone to fill their ice bucket.

Simone watched as he heated and then cut her steak for her. Jeff moved quickly and quietly, coming back to sit on the floor in front of her and handing back the plate. He had a smug self satisfied look on his face, like he thought he'd won something. Well he hadn't! she was hungry, that meant nothing. He could heat up leftovers all he wanted; she still wasn't going to forgive him for locking her in that dressing room.

When she had all but licked the plate clean Jeff stood and took it from her. He placed it outside their room's door and returned to help her off the floor. Neither one of them spoke as they made their way back to the bed. Simone tried to sleep on her side, facing away from him. But she tossed and turned in frustration. Sleeping on his big hard chest the night before had been so wonderful. Kissing him had been even better.

Jeff knew exactly what was wrong; he was having the same problem. With a sigh of defeat he reached out and pulled her against his side and Si didn't fight him. She snuggled close to him, resting her head on his peck and closing her eyes. She might be angry at him, and he might have made a big mistake, but they were still attracted to each other. They could work the rest out later.


End file.
